Words I Have Come To Loathe

[Ken]

For Ruth, it's literally. For me, it's basically. But that's the tip of the proverbial iceberg for both of us, no doubt.

What about you? What words drive you to distraction, either on their own accord or because they've been used (or misused) to death?

[Ruth]

Let's throw in parameters, just for good measure.

[Ken]

Existential, which has been robbed from Sartre and Camus by the political hacks, who use it as a pig-in-pearls word for "exists." Duh....

[Anthony]

"Issues" and "challenges" to describe difficulties or unpleasantness.

[Anthony]

"Between a Rock and a Hard Place" has replaced the more traditional, "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", which, though hackneyed, was more colourful. ("Hard Place", my backside!)

[Carol]

For me it is whatever with the attitude, or just saying .

[Joanne]

I hate "awesome." When will it stop!

[Ken]

Put them in the isolation cell, where Prof. Grammardore goes to work. Once they speak like civilized beings, the school lets them out.

[Anthony]

More on "would have" ("would of", "wood've", etc.).

As a museum man, I frequently came across this tense (I called it "the past unlikely") in expressions such as, "Queen Elizabeth would have slept in this bed"; or "King John would have walked down this path on sunny evenings."

Its main use is for making spurious statements of fact when there is no real knowledge. It replaces statements such as "Queen Elizabeth slept in this bed - - -" or "King John walked down this path - - - " where one does indeed know the truth of the matter.

Better to say "probably" or "perhaps", or "I believe that - - -" or "King John might have - - ", if there is some doubt, not least because these expressions are more honest.

[Ken]

Anthony D wrote: "More on "would have" ("would of", "wood've", etc.).

As a museum man, I frequently came across this tense (I called it "the past unlikely") in expressions such as, "Queen Elizabeth would have slep..."

I wish people would stop and think this honestly, but they don't. It's too easy to go colloquial.

Another word I'm tiring of: leverage as a verb.

[Joanne]

I dislike "journal" used as a verb. I haven't heard it lately. Perhaps people are less introspective.

[Ken]

Or how about "read" as a noun?

[Joanne]

Grrr...like "Fifty Shades Of Gray was a good read?" A big bowl of wrong.

[Ken]

Yeah. Like that! (Do you pour milk on wrong, or melt cheese on it?)

[Dianne]

Irregardless when they mean regardless. Arghhhhh!!!

[Anthony]

So, I find "so" has been creeping in to supplement, "well" and "I say," as a useless introduction to a sentence. I don't thing we "so" in this context.

[Ken]

Anthony D wrote: "So, I find "so" has been creeping in to supplement, "well" and "I say," as a useless introduction to a sentence. I don't thing we "so" in this context."

Yes, I've been noticing speakers who tack it on the beginning of every sentence they utter, almost like a stalling tactic for thinking. In that sense, "So..." is becoming like "Um...."

[Portia]

Honestly

[Ken]

Right?

[Joanne]

Sick

[Ken]

Wicked

[MissJessie]

Shut UP!!!!! As a comment when the speaker says something completely unexpected.

[Elmwoodblues]

'Literally,' when one can only hope the user literally had his mind blown.

[Ken]

very (in writing more than speaking, it's very annoying)

[Anthony]

Actually, it's very, very annoying.

[Ken]

really, really annoying

[Joanne]

Was it Twain who said to replace "very" with "damn" in all writing, then the editor would remove all the "damns" and the writing would be improved?

[Ruth]

I know I've heard that. Sounds good to me.

[Ken]

When in doubt, say Twain said it. The man loved to talk.

[Joanne]

I'm tired of "Seriously" unless it's the Geico owl speaking.

[Ken]

Wow, do we have adverbs on the run or what? (Uh, hope no one's sick of "or what?" at the end of sentences....)

[Jane]

Newengland wrote: "Wow, do we have adverbs on the run or what? (Uh, hope no one's sick of "or what?" at the end of sentences....)"

No, we don't. I loathe anything that's used as a 'filler'. Many adverbs are that--just something to let the speaker get his thoughts together a little more.

[Portia]

I am fond of Geico's Maxwell the Pig. Wee, wee, weeee, all the way home."

[Jane]

Portia, are you serious or sarcastic? :)

BTW, I never knew he had a name!

[Portia]

I'm serious. It all started with the original commercial with the guy saying,"Can Geico really save you ...? Did the little pig cry wee, wee, wee ...."

I have all of the ones I know about with Maxwell on my laptop. The zip line is my fave.

My spouse likes the one with the wood chucks. Large grin. :>)

[Ken]

I'm lost.

[Ruth]

Me, too.

[Elmwoodblues]

The woodchuck references, well, woodchucks chucking wood. As for the pig, I am literally in a fog.

[Portia]

That's bucuz we are waaaay off topic.

Sorry.

[Elmwoodblues]

At the end of the day, you are right, Portia.

[Portia]

Yes, Elmwoodblues. It was My Bad.

[Elmwoodblues]

No problem.
(Which is another major expression I have come to hate: saying 'thank you' to a waiter is being polite; hearing the response 'no problem' infers that bringing me that iced tea could have been a problem, but wasn't in this case.)
Now, get off my lawn!

[Ken]

Speaking of waiters, my dad goes ballistic when they say, "How's it going, guys?" even to the ladies. I tell him to lighten up, even if "guys" for "everyone" deserves loathed status....

[Carol]

I am originally from Ohio, and you guys was common usage and inclusive for all.

[Portia]

I am originally from Pennsylvania and "you guys" is the accepted form of address for the northeastern part of the state as well as for New York State. For the Pittsburgh area, as we all know, the proper term is "youns" :-)

Now here is a pronunciation a truly loathe.

Pen-si-vania. There is a pencil in that state!

[Anthony]

"Guys" among waiters has even reached Northern Ireland, maybe in the last three or four years. I was going to mention it as a pet hate, but Newengland beat me to it.

[Joanne]

I hate when I order some dish, and the waiter says, "Awesome choice!!!"

[Ruth]

I hate it when the waiter comes to check while you're eating and asks, "You still working on that?"

Sheesh, if it was work do you think I'd be here paying good money for it?

[Ken]

When I hear "y'all" up north. No, no, no. Leave it in Dixie, please.

[Jane]

"Have a good day", "Have a nice day" or any of that ilk.